Brian & Kyle

Kyle and Brian are approaching their third year together, along with their American Bulldog mix “Sherman the Tank” in Hinesville, Georgia. Kyle was attending the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, when fate stepped in and introduced him to Brian. Brian was working in electronic resources for Columbus State University and in the reference department for the Columbus Public Library. Kyle needed a little help with research for several papers for his class, and Brian was quite a reference, and the rest is history!

Kyle has had experience in two branches of the military; first as an Acquisitions Engineer officer in the Air Force, graduating from the Air Force Academy in 2004, and presently an Army Armor Captain. Brian has a background in academic and public libraries, and has presented nationally on various research topics related to digital knowledge management. In addition to this, he was the Public Relations Chair or the GLBT Round Table of the American Library Association.

Although they have not yet gone through any deployments together, Brian took advantage of courses and trainings through Army Community Services which allow him to hold Battalion-level Family Readiness Group positions. These certifications have given Brian the skills to help families and spouses; not just here at Fort Stewart, but also within AMPA who have questions or concerns that they can’t find the answers to on their own.

PCSing to Hinesville was a stress that Brian could not have anticipated. He is overqualified for many of the library positions and has found stable employment a challenge. This is a typical “snafu” that many military couples face; where the spouse finds they are under-employed or their career stalled in the sacrifice to live with their partner. Any military partner can tell you, there is no end to what they are tasked to endure. But what keeps them going?

Brian said, “When I look at Kyle, his compassion and giving spirit are the things I admire most. Not just for family, friends, and me, but also for his Soldiers and their families. From the countless late nights at work to the sacrificed weekends and the calls in the middle of the night, he continues to give so much of himself to ensure their well being, all the while making sure there is time for us. It’s an amazing balancing act and at times I don’t know how he does it.”

Kyle notes: “Brian has far too many qualities that I admire to list just a few of them. It still continues to amaze me that he left such a successful career so that we could relocate for mine, even to the point where he has passed on a few opportunities in nearby communities because the commute would take away too much “us” time. The time and effort that he puts into our relationship and me drives me to improve in my career so that I can do my part to take care of us also.”

AMPA Leadership

The American Military Partner Association (AMPA) is the nation’s premier resource and support network for the partners and spouses of LGBT troops and veterans. As a non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)3 organization, AMPA is directed and led by an all-volunteer team of military spouses. Learn more about AMPA's leadership team.